A who’s who of Revolutionary War-era portraiture

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Overview

The Second Bank of the United States packs a large punch in a relatively small space, filled with an extraordinary collection of 18th-century portraits.

It’s also a genuine architectural treasure, modeled after the Parthenon and acting as the standard-bearer for many subsequent American bank buildings.

Inside, it holds a repository of portraits depicting many of the men and women vital to 18th-century America’s development.

Included in that list are Declaration of Independence signers Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Mifflin and Robert Morris, alongside paintings of Marquis de Lafayette, Patrick Henry and Casimir Pulaski.

The History

Eighty-five of the portraits on view here are by Charles Willson Peale.

The Second Bank of the United States earned its place in history in 1832 when President Andrew Jackson vetoed a bill seeking to re-charter the bank because he viewed it as an unconstitutional monopoly.

Running for reelection, Jackson made his anti-bank stance a critical issue of his campaign and handily defeated opponent Henry Clay.

Eighty-five of the portraits on view here are by Charles Willson Peale, one of early America’s most famous portraitist.

Don’t Miss

Kids will be intrigued by the pine sculpture of George Washington, as well as his original death mask.

Part Of

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

Book the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package for stays through June 15, 2018 and get FREE hotel parking as well as a $25 We ♥ 13th Street restaurants gift card, a $25 CHeU Noodle restaurants gift card, a $25 gift card to R2L, a free cheesesteak from Campo's and a $10 Lyft credit.